I Thought It'd Be Fox's K-VILLE For Sure

… that would be the first scripted series to get axed this new TV season since it’s stillborn. (See UPDATE below.) Or maybe ABC’s critically panned Cavemen or audience-ignored Big Shots. Or even CBS’ Moonlight which has a tough concept and had a tougher beginning (and replaced a showrunner). Instead, shitcanned after only two episodes aired was CBS’ expensive Viva Laughlin which makes sense since singing and dancing even with Hugh Jackman exec producing is an even tougher concept in primetime scripted series. Plus, I’d heard the show had already cycled in some writers, which is never a good sign. Then again, ABC’s big buzzed Pushing Daisies has had early budget and production problems (trying to sandwich in from 70 to 170 visual effects into every episode) so that plenty of people consider it an unsustainable show. While NBC’s Bionic Woman is trying to make a series conceived as dark and brooding into sexy and fun. So a showrunner was pushed out. Let’s also not forget the big rainstorm and subsequent flooding in Brooklyn that stopped production on ABC’s Cashmere Mafia. Or that on Fox’s Back To You, Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton already hate each other, so showrunner Steve Levitan is pulling his hair out. I could go on and on…

UPDATE:Back To You‘s co-executive producer Steve Levitan wants me to know there’s no animosity between his two stars (but notice I’m not retracting). “Kelsey and Patty get along wonderfully. It was in fact Kelsey’s idea to cast Patty in the role. I have not personally witnessed one moment of tension between them. It’s always playful and fun. And they are the definitive professionals who want to come to work do their job and go home happy.” As to the Wednesday show’s failure to catch on, Levitan says Fox has been “ridiculously supportive even though the ratings have been less than stellar. Their attitude is ‘Just wait. Once American Idol comes on, the whole night changes and you’ll finally get some eyeballs.”